The Delaware Poultry Industry reports that the state's chicken production has dropped by 18 million birds since last year. Officials call the drop a market correction, reports the Cape Gazette.
Two of the state's poultry processors, Townsends Inc. and Allen Family Foods, went bankrupt last year. The Townsends bankruptcy did not affect production that much, as the bulk of the company's production had moved to North Carolina. The Allen bankruptcy did have an affect, says Bill Satterfield, director of the Delmarva Poultry Industry.